How I Let Go of the Woman I Wanted to Be
I spent years molding myself into my ideal woman. I had a vision for who she would be. I was fairly certain that, with enough work, I could make her happen. I could be all the things: educated, well dressed, articulate, political, logical, and - the end goal -...
How Do I Know He’s “The One”?
When I think about my relationship to Josh, there are days I ask myself why we ever got married. Josh and I are not only opposite in personality, we don't share any of the same interests or tastes. We tolerate one another's music choices, movie preferences, and...
To the Girl With the Boring Testimony
< My story isn't anything special. Perhaps that's what you think. I know it's what I thought in the college-group circle. To be honest, I was embarrassed of it - ashamed of my goody-two-shoes life. It seemed like rebellion was a rite of passage and I'd...
How to Go From Texting to Dating
Cutting back on texting doesn’t mean the guy you like will ask you out, but it often leads to a better knowledge of his intentions. Less availability leads to more clarity. It requires that the contact people DO have with you be meaningful and direct. And the promise of deeper relationships is incentive enough to shut off the phone, get some coffee, and talk face to face – just like old times.
Anger Issues and the Yelling Mom
I’ll be the first to admit I have a temper. As I shared on the podcast, I’m the kind of person who enjoys a good fight. While my penchant for conflict served me well in the career world, it’s not as appealing within the walls of my home.
I first recognized my anger in my late teens and early twenties. By then, old habits were dying hard. My temper flared easily, almost too quickly. Most concerning to me was how my angry nature would affect my future kids. I knew if I kept walking this tempestuous road, I would inevitably become the Yelling Mom.
Hope for the Not-So-Good Girl
I used to think my story shouldn’t have happened to me. I used to ask God why He allowed it. Now I know why. I have experienced the redemptive power of a God who saves us out of a sin-wracked world; the only secure place in a spiritual war. He is the hope in a story like mine
Why We Should Stop Saying “There Are No Good Men”
As members of this eternal purpose we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). Everything we do should be guided by our foundational knowledge of God: that He has a purpose, and we are part of it.
To the Girl About to Become a Woman
This is a guest post by Daniel Klewel. This letter is one he wrote to his nieces. Daniel thought it could encourage other young women, and I agree with him! He has some great things to say about hope and identity. Enjoy! You were on my mind this morning, so I...
Five Tips for New Moms {From My Mommy Mentors}
I’m five months into this motherhood adventure and am finally in a place where I can see fruit from the seeds planted those first six weeks. Those who follow my story know that I didn’t have much time to prepare for Adeline’s arrival (we moved to a new state five days before she was born)! I was more concerned about my natural birth than anything else at the time, so I spent more time preparing for that than I did reading up on post-birth care. Oopsies!
A Baby Ruined My Body
They warned me before I got here.
“Babies ruin bodies.”
“Enjoy this now – you’ll never see it again after kids!”
“You’ll never be the same.”
I guess they were right. I am ruined. I don’t see it. I’m not the same.
Marry the Man Who Stays
Don’t look for a man to “spiritually lead” you; you need a man spiritually led by God, whose faithfulness is the foundation of every true love. The man led by God is led by God’s love. God’s love is unfailing. God’s love is steadfast. God’s love stays.
Why You Should Learn to Fight Well
As much as I liked the fight, I hated watching Josh walk away. I hated knowing I may have driven him away with my yelling and compelling (read: ruthless) argumentation. But now we’ve only been married two years and have seen incredible improvement in how we fight. Some of this is simply due to emotional and spiritual maturity, but it’s also by implementing the following five strategies.
Five Habits for a Productive Day
Since stress is a sense of “losing control”, the best way to reduce it is to bring life under control. Good habits are a means of bringing life under control without even thinking about it. However, planning must also bear a level of flexibility in order to avoid slipping into OCD. As with everything in life, a balance must be struck.
5 Ways Having a Baby Changed My Marriage
People say the first year of marriage is the hardest. I think the first year a child arrives is the hardest! Marriage was pretty simple when we were both working, got a reasonable amount of sleep each night, and weren’t captive to the feeding schedule of a tiny human. Our little girl is the light of our lives, totally worth those first six weeks (the primary period of “what-on-earth-is-happening”), but her arrival required some major adjustments to our relationship. Our marriage changed when Adeline was born; it changed in five distinct ways.
Should Christians Drink Alcohol?
The gospel gives us the incredible privilege of joining God’s redemptive purpose. We are the living temples of God on this earth because of what Jesus accomplished. A temple of God should be filled with the Spirit of God – and nothing else.
Five Ways My Career Prepared Me to Stay at Home
Staying home after working an 8-5 for five, seven, or ten years is a transition. But contrary to theory, full-time work and full-time motherhood have much more in common than meets the eye. In fact, my seven years working a desk gave me an edge as I moved to full-time home management.
Why I Ask My Husband to Help at Home
I recently finished the book Overwhelmed: Work, Love and Play When No One Has the Time by Brigid Shulte and was so challenged by the research Brigid shared. The book questioned many of the norms of work and home – particularly the concepts of the “ideal worker” and the “ideal mother”. An ideal worker is the person who stays late, does more, answers emails after hours, and is invested in her job at the expense of all other priorities. The ideal mother is the woman many of us attempt to be because we think we should – spinning plates of work, home, parenthood and marriage all at once, by ourselves. Quite often, the ideal worker and ideal mother are combined into one completely overwhelming individual we measure ourselves against every day.
Dear Girl, It’s Just a Date
These days we move strategically, chess pieces navigating the game. We have to know if he’s ready to spiritually lead and financially take on a family. We have to know where it’s headed because otherwise, it’s a waste of time – right? Dating is supposed to lead to marriage – right?
Not always.
How I Left Legalism Without Leaving God
I'm a product of "purity culture". I wore the ring, read the books, and didn't date in high school. I could tell you anything you wanted to know about courtship. I was immersed in the culture through my teen years, as a student and a leader within the movement. I...
How to Reset a Bad Day
This week on Uniquely Woman, Lisa and I discuss ways to step back and breathe, get perspective, and take charge of your emotions. We’ll discuss how to look up and ahead, cultivate gratitude, and pour out your heart to God – not vent to the nearest listening ear. Below are the show notes!
How To Create a Daily Routine {Tutorial}
I’ve often thought the negative stereotype of moms as stressed out, overwhelmed, and run ragged with responsibility was a little unfair. It’s true that motherhood is exhausting at times, and the more kids you have the harder it is (as the oldest of six, I know what it looks like). But I don’t believe stress is God’s intention for our lives. I believe that even in motherhood, we can manage our time in a way that allows us to enjoy our children, enjoy our hobbies, and fully live the lives God has given us.
So with thought, prayer, trial and error, I developed my daily routine.
5 Myths Single Women Believe About Motherhood
Too many single women get discouraged about motherhood before they even arrive there. Motherhood does not destroy your identity, nor does it take away from the life you lived as a single. Motherhood enriches your days, filling them with as many smiles and giggles as new tasks and responsibilities.
The Truth About the Confident Girl
We can stop living in fear of what others think of us. We can stop measuring others against the yardstick of our own preference and personality. And when we do, we will all be free.
We will all be living in God’s design.
We will all be confident girls.
My Daughter Is Not My World
My daughter is not my world, and I’m a better mom because of it.
Not better than other moms who do things differently; better than the mom I would be if I did things differently – if my world revolved around her.
I love her. She is a light to my life: her smiles, her giggles, and those milky blue eyes that search my face from behind her Tommee Tippee. The little fingers that grip my pinky – I love them. I love her eagerness, her excitement, and her energy.